Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

NooDle said:
Whats wrong with 2500 rpm @ highway speeds?
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I don't get that either. I've driven Ford and Chevy V8s that cruise around that on the freeway.
 
Nabster said:
On that note I want to gripe about the gears in the new Mustang. The transmission is, for the most part pretty good. The controls and modes are great, for an auto it's got a ton of options. Even just in drive I still have the ability to click the flappy paddles to change gears as I want, and it will continue in those gears until it determines normal driving is occurring at which point it will resume with normal auto operation. It's pretty good at that, no complaints there. The sport mode is more manual gear change oriented for sure, and holds the gears much longer but still will change them automatically once you hit certain speeds.

My gripe is the actual 6 gears themselves. They're all really short. It will be in 4th gear at 30mph from just gentle acceleration, then 5th at about 35, and doesn't go into 6th until 45. The problem is at highway speeds of say 75 mph you're running at 2k rpm in 6th gear. Click the cruise control up to ~80 to match traffic and you're running 2300-2500 rpm. Why? It gets a little bit of a drone from those higher rpms which can be a bit annoying with low highway noise. I'd much prefer running 1750-2000rpm at highway speeds, not only would it be quieter, but the gas mileage would be noticeably better as well. I guess the setup they have is more oriented toward city traffic where the gearing helps a little at lower speeds, but it seems silly on the highway. Does anyone still do overdrive gears for highway speeds? Those needs to make a comeback.
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Yeah that's a bit excessive. That's very similar to my 4 banger at those speeds. With the power output of the Coyote, I'm surprised Ford didn't opt for a 6th gear that has you doing about 12-1500 rpm @ 80 MPH
 
from what ive found from personal experiance, manual tans sit higher at crising than the auto. Possibly something to do with the auto using a torque converter than a clutch.

Also, what engine is in your mustang? ive also found less cylinders means it sits at a higher rpm on the highway. My thoughts are that the higher the number of cylinders, the more torque it has down low. Makes it easier to keep the car going on the highway. If my thoughts are true, and you have the I4 or V6, that could explain the higher rpm in 6th.

Keep in mind, this is all speculation. I have no facts to back those up.
 
Sevs753 said:
from what ive found from personal experiance, manual tans sit higher at crising than the auto. Possibly something to do with the auto using a torque converter than a clutch.

Also, what engine is in your mustang? ive also found less cylinders means it sits at a higher rpm on the highway. My thoughts are that the higher the number of cylinders, the more torque it has down low. Makes it easier to keep the car going on the highway. If my thoughts are true, and you have the I4 or V6, that could explain the higher rpm in 6th.

Keep in mind, this is all speculation. I have no facts to back those up.
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He's got the V8, that's what makes this so weird. Sounds like it's geared somewhat similar to my I4 :dunno:
 
Maybe the thought that 55mph is still the highway speed limit. Therefore the gearing is adjusted for such.
 
NooDle said:
Whats wrong with 2500 rpm @ highway speeds?
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Here we go again...USA x Europe :lol:


Also, I bet the EPA has something to do about it.
 
93Flareside said:
Maybe the thought that 55mph is still the highway speed limit. Therefore the gearing is adjusted for such.
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Uh... 55mph hasn't been the national speed limit for a very long time. Most states have 65mph highway limits, many have higher.
 
Right. It could be an out of date regulation on cars.
 
Eh, to me 2500 just seems like a fairly high rpm to be doing on cruise control for several hours on a highway. The engine itself is fine doing that much, red line starts at 6500 RPM and it quite happily revs up to about 7k before changing gears in sports mode, it just seems counter intuitive.
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Nabster said:
Eh, to me 2500 just seems like a fairly high rpm to be doing on cruise control for several hours on a highway. The engine itself is fine doing that much, red line starts at 6500 RPM and it quite happily revs up to about 7k before changing gears in sports mode, it just seems counter intuitive.
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It sounds like you got the 3.55 gears instead of the 3.15s, really. Or possibly even 4.10s.
 
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Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

prizrak said:
It's still 55 in NY :((((
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As mentioned before, you must like dealing with stupid people because NY state is full of them. :p 85mph here. Would be higher, but the Feds are desperately trying to keep states from doing another Montana-bahn and using highway funds as a club to keep them in line.
 
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Spectre said:
As mentioned before, you must like dealing with stupid people because NY state is full of them. :p 85mph here. Would be higher, but the Feds are desperately trying to keep states from doing another Montana-bahn and using highway funds as a club to keep them in line.
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I work with quite a few people from TX, (and all over the world actually) stupidity doesn't seem to be confined to any specific region :p
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

prizrak said:
I work with quite a few people from TX, (and all over the world actually) stupidity doesn't seem to be confined to any specific region :p
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True, but it does seem to be particularly concentrated in New York - remember the recent gun control bill where the NY government made all cop firearms illegal for the cops to carry?
 
The Blizzard is doing 3500 rpm at 60 mph... I'm pretty sure it would be possible to over-rev the engine in gear with a good downhill stretch.
 
Spectre said:
True, but it does seem to be particularly concentrated in New York - remember the recent gun control bill where the NY government made all cop firearms illegal for the cops to carry?
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We all know how NYPD shoots, maybe we would be better off if they weren't allowed guns :p
 
Careful, somebody might call you a communist.
 
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